To get some measure of whether we are achieving our aims, we record the number of species we see on the site itself. ​We carry out timed insect counts but mostly we simply record what see at each visit. We can identify plants, birds, butterflies and bumblebees, and some other insects.
In 2025 we carried out 3 timed counts:
-
a 10 minute insect count on the Scrapes recorded 42 insects
-
a 15 minute count (at the seat above the small pond) recorded 79 butterflies, including 9 of the ‘target’species in the national Big Butterfly Count; and
-
a 15 minute count (at same location) recorded 36 butterflies, including 8 of the ‘target’ species. Gatekeeper and Large White were the most abundant.
​
In 2024 we recorded a total of
-
216 Plant species
-
18 Butterfly & moth species
-
40 Bee & other insect species
-
24 Bird species​​​​​
Since 2020 we have sighted Large Scabious Mining bees (photo above). They are rare and declining and are being monitored by Buglife. ​
* We have made a file (below) showing every butterfly which you are likely to see on our site with a photos for identification and details of habitats
​
​
​
​​​​​​​​
*For a detailed list of our species records, please click on the files below (the files record species, and not numbers of individual plants, birds,etc)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
* On the Gallery page you can see a further selection of the invertebrates, trees and plants we have seen on the site, plus some humans!
Below: a female Southern Hawker dragonfly laying eggs in wood at the side of the large pond.
